Useless, Indeed
by lalalei
Summary: Why does Giovanni keep Jessie and James around? Only he knows the answer...


Ash smiled. The Rapidash was safe, happily reunited with its owner. He had caught a new Pokemon, a Happiny to be exact.

All that remained was to deal with the Rapidash's kidnappers.

_Again_. What was it, the third time this week?

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt," he cried.

The electric mouse obeyed; sparks flew from its cheeks and struck Team Rocket head on. The force was so great it sent them straight up into the sky.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again," Jessie, James, and Meowth screamed. After flying into the air for a minute or two, the Rockets landed safely in a tree, bruised, soot-covered, and sore.

Meowth sighed, pausing to fix the charm on his forehead.

"This _always_ happens," the cat Pokemon moaned, "Every time we steal somethin' they zap us and take it back..."

Jessie nodded, sighing as she brushed dirt out of her fiery red hair.

"I know...Those twerps really _are_ better trainers than we are...And their Pokemon are stronger, too! We're useless…"

She handed the mirror to James, who gazed at his reflection with disgust.

"Lots of times I wonder why the Boss lets us be in Team Rocket," he sighed.

Far away, in the Viridian City Gym, a different pair of Rockets was wondering the same thing.

"Why _does_ he keep those two idiots around," Cassidy asked, combing her spiked ochre hair.

"Everyone knows we're much better in looks and plans!"

Her partner, Butch, gave an indifferent shrug.

"Don't sweat it…once _we_ capture that Pikachu I'm sure he'll see the light…"

Cassidy nodded, but a frown creased her face.

"But why doesn't he just fire them now? They're _completely_ useless!"

A monitor behind them lit up, covering the room with its artificial light. The Rockets whipped around, fear filling their eyes.

Giovanni, the Boss of Team Rocket, was onscreen.

"I have my reasons, Cassidy. Be patient…You and your partner will be given another chance soon enough…"

Without another word, the Viridian Gym Leader ended transmission, walked behind his desk, and sat in the chair that waited for him. His Persian strode over and settled onto his lap; he stroked it behind the ears.

Giovanni then opened a drawer and pulled out what looked like a watch. He pressed a button and the time appeared; he pressed another and gazed at the face of a Rocket member whose name he didn't need to know.

"What is the status of the operation," he asked through clenched teeth.

"Positive, sir," the Rocket said, a grin creeping along the side of his face.

"The strongest Pokemon," he said, turning the device on his wrist to show a Flygon, a Kangaskhan, and a Tyranitar, "have all been captured, sir. The weakest have been killed."

"Good. Any other news?"

"We've found a clue that tells of the supposed first Pokemon…Arceus…the legends say it's the strongest of all," the Rocket said, smiling fully now.

Giovanni couldn't help but smirk; clearly the man wanted a promotion. Well…even if room was available…dreams were meant to be broken anyway.

"Very well... Continue your work and bring the survivors to the genetic labs. The scientists haven't had a Kangaskhan in ages... And as for a promotion, there's no room," Giovanni said with a trace of amusement.

"But sir! Why not just fire that useless Jessie and Ja—"

The Boss grinned a bit at the Rocket's shocked face before ending transmission.

Though no one knew it except him, the most important job of Team Rocket belonged to Jessie and James…

They were the distractions, the ones who kept those three pests busy while his other forces did the real work.

He monitored both groups, so it wasn't hard to give the Rockets tasks where their work would run them into Ash and his friends.

They'd fight them, lose, and halfway across Sinnoh Pokemon would be captured and genetically _improved_.

Cassidy and Butch were thrown in for the chance a scheme might work...and to further the illusion of weakness. He had even personally bailed them out of jail to give the impression that they were better…

But Cassidy and Butch were expendable… Jessie and James were not.

"Useless, indeed," Giovanni chuckled, watching an Eevee breathe its last.


End file.
